Author
Topic: Camera bag for camping (Read 31805 times)

I can manage about 35 to 40 pounds, and that's about it. But I am small, 115 to 120 pounds. In my estimation, the F/Stop Satori is more than up to that task, provided your torso is the right size. It has good load lifter straps and a really comfortable hip belt. The insert is tethered next to the backboard.

Boots - good boots are more important than anything. If you don't have well-broken-in perfect-fitting boots, you won't get to your destination. I favor full leather heavy duty boots for any packing beyond light day packs (15 pounds or less). I have just bought some day-hike low-cut shoes and tested them out on a local scree slope and on a long day hike.

Logged

canon rumors FORUM

http://www.mindshiftgear.com/ ? As Rusty is saying, start with your size, get a pack that will fit you, as you'll be able to carry more and be less fatigued with a properly fitting pack. Figure out what you're carrying compared to who you're going with - and who is carrying what.

Where are you going, how far under foot power, what type of terrain and weather are you expecting, how many other folks are going? A T3i with 2 lenses are better added to a traditional backpack than a special photo bag purchase. Check out rental options on both types of bags, since you may not need the bag for another year or two and what you carry will change.

Logged

"Me owning a lens shop is kind of like having an alcoholic bar tender." - Roger Cicala

Whenever you try out a backpack, you should spend plenty of time trying it on in the store and fitting it to your hip and torso. The fitting should be done with at least 30+ pounds of weight added to simulate a load.

With regard to boots, everyone has their ideal fit and style. But if you're carrying more weight, heavier duty boots are highly suggested (as opposed to trail shoes) and should probably include ankle support. All leather boots are good but might be a bit hot. Some people's feet sweat more than others. Full synthetic/wool socks are mandatory. NEVER wear cotton socks!!

Personally, until you have carried a decent amount of weight farther than 3-5 miles up and down hills, you really don't know how well the boots will work. Typically you need at least a half size larger boot than your normal daily shoe size due to foot expansion when hiking. Make sure there is enough room in the toe box when going downhill or you'll have toe pain and you might even lose a toenail if a toe is hitting the boot too much when going downhill with your pack.

The fstop satori looks nice but there doesn't appear to be many options for carrying much outside the pack. There aren't many points to tie on a bed roll, tent, sleeping pad (above or below) or other bulky items that don't fit inside. There don't appear to be many outside pockets. I'm pretty old school I guess but when I take enough stuff to support me and a partner for 2 days or 10 days, I use at least 65-85 liters of space inside my pack depending on weather temps and amount of food needed. And that's before any camera stuff is packed.

That interior space number doesn't include a couple lightweight Eagle Creek zipper pouches I hang outside for small items like headlights, batteries, etc, my camp chair I strap on the outside and four different water containers that I can attach securely to the sides due to the way my pack is made. The water containers include a 3L MSR dromedary water bladder, a 48 oz Nalgene collapsible soft canteen and two 24 oz Nalgene bottles that fit the (too slim for normal liter bottles) mesh pockets made for water bottles. Close to 6L of water capacity (depending on needs) that is not using space inside the pack.

I see this a lot in most back packs I see, photography or not. It's hard to organize most internal frame packs because there are few pockets or attachment points. My Kelty Redcloud 90 (from 2011) is more versatile than most internal frame packs and the price doesn't break the bank.

Sometime I'll try to take a few pictures of my set up for others to see. I'm just too swamped right now to do it.

You can always put camera gear in to a serious hiking backpack but it's hard (if not impossible) to take an expensive photography backpack and use it for serious hiking.

I could not agree more. I've been using a F-stop Loka for a few years now, and while it's a great backpack and probably one of the finest camera backpacks available, I feel a lot more comfortable with my Arcteryx Astral 65 even if I put twice as much weight in it. There is a world of difference, at least to my me and my back. I would say that camera backpack manufacturers have a very long way to go, when it comes to ergonomics. I'm thinking of adding a Lowepro Toploader AW 50 to my kit, now that I have sold the Loka, to be chucked in with the rest of my hiking kit. It should hold a L-plated 6D with a wide angle zoom nice and snugly.

Generally I agree that trekking/mountaineering-specific packs are the best available in terms of wearing comfort. But the comparison of the F-Stop Loka with the Arc'teryx Altra is not really fair. The Loka is a 37 litre pack with not that much padding on the hip belt and the shoulder straps. It is not meant to carry 30 kilos like the Altra (which is a fabulous pack by the way). If you try a Tilopa BC (48 litres) or a Satori EXP (62 litres) you might get a rather different experience: both packs are very well constructed and padded so that you can carry your 20-30 kilos of photo gear, mountaineering stuff, clothes, food etc. quite comfortably. It's still heavy to lug around 20 kilos though…

You are right, my comparison was unfair. I shared my experience because I was surprised by the amount of difference. For those who carry a lot of gear and need quick access to it, I agree that the bigger F-stop packs represents a very good choice. But do try before you buy! I did not have the chance to do so.

I personally think any camera "backpacking backpack" is a huge waste of money and the people buying them are not really backpackers, they just like to think they are. Weight is a huge burden when backpacking, and all of those camera packs are ridiculously heavy. For example, the 35L Rover Pro is 5 pounds! I think my main pack is 1.5 pounds for comparison...

Just get a pack that fits you well and use the money you save on a good down sleeping bag. If you go this route, get lens cases for each lens and make sure it has a belt loop. When you get to where you are gonna be shooting, put each lens case on the waist belt of the pack and unstrap the tripod from the back.

Works perfectly for me all the time. I had no complaints when I was doing 18 miles and 10k of elevation gain a day through the snow. Plus my pack has loops for ice axes. I could be wrong, but I have not seen that on any camera pack.

I personally think any camera "backpacking backpack" is a huge waste of money and the people buying them are not really backpackers, they just like to think they are. Weight is a huge burden when backpacking, and all of those camera packs are ridiculously heavy. For example, the 35L Rover Pro is 5 pounds! I think my main pack is 1.5 pounds for comparison...

Just get a pack that fits you well and use the money you save on a good down sleeping bag. If you go this route, get lens cases for each lens and make sure it has a belt loop. When you get to where you are gonna be shooting, put each lens case on the waist belt of the pack and unstrap the tripod from the back.

Works perfectly for me all the time. I had no complaints when I was doing 18 miles and 10k of elevation gain a day through the snow. Plus my pack has loops for ice axes. I could be wrong, but I have not seen that on any camera pack.

Niterider is being brutally honest. If you want a photography backpack to carry lots of camera gear more comfortably on a day hike, by all means, go for it. If you plan to do real hiking and live out of your backpack for 2+ days, do yourself a favor and get real hiking gear just like you already do for real photography. Learn how to camp, hike and carry weight. Get in shape. Camp with others that are more experienced and become a knowledgeable outdoor person. You'll likely spend over $1000 - $1500 before you're done and you'll still lust after some better hiking gear. And you will likely devise a special unique method and system for your photography so you can enjoy hiking and photography simultaneously.

Logged

Yes, but what would surapon say ??

canon rumors FORUM

My personal setup is an F Stop ICU (a couple sizes depending on the situation) to hold all the camera gear, which goes into a regular backpacking backpack (either a 55L Osprey or 75L Gregory). I attach the camera itself to my shoulder strap with a carabiner if I want easy access. The tripod straps to the outside usually, and I put my Lee filters, remote and an extra battery in the brain of the pack for quick access. I do plan on picking up an F Stop bag that fits the ICU's for a smaller day pack down the road. They seem well built and intelligently designed.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. The varied knowledge is amazing on this forum.

So far, I'm leaning towards getting the dedicated hiking backpack and a padded insert as an ICU as many of you have suggested. So in terms of the backpack, I'm liking the reviews on the Osprey Aether 60L pack and plan to try it out in person later this week. Might change my mind later on but there's still plenty of time for that. As for the ICU, I like the Clik Elite Capsule so far. Would have gone for the Mountainsmith Kit Cube as suggested earlier by Eagle Eye, but being in Canada, the price with shipping is fairly ridiculous when there are alternative options... I'll keep on looking around though.

Keep on coming with the interesting tips everyone. I'm still very new to backpacking so it's good to learn.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. The varied knowledge is amazing on this forum.

So far, I'm leaning towards getting the dedicated hiking backpack and a padded insert as an ICU as many of you have suggested. So in terms of the backpack, I'm liking the reviews on the Osprey Aether 60L pack and plan to try it out in person later this week. Might change my mind later on but there's still plenty of time for that. As for the ICU, I like the Clik Elite Capsule so far. Would have gone for the Mountainsmith Kit Cube as suggested earlier by Eagle Eye, but being in Canada, the price with shipping is fairly ridiculous when there are alternative options... I'll keep on looking around though.

Keep on coming with the interesting tips everyone. I'm still very new to backpacking so it's good to learn.

Try to resist the temptation to buy the ultimate backpack now. Once you have some real hiking experience, your taste/need/knowledge factor will probably change. There are a lot of great makes and while Osprey is a great pack, it's pretty expensive. Keep your mind open. Buy what works for YOU, not what the marketing sells you. Depending on your area and what outfitters are near you go to at least two or three well stocked stores and try on at least 6 to 12 packs that you like. Hopefully each store will have qualified staff to help you get a good fit. It's important that the pack fit your hip and torso correctly. If not, it doesn't matter what price or cool factor the pack has, it's simply not for you. Make sure it's fitted to you with at least 30 lbs or of weight in it. Once fitted, walk around the store for 15 minutes or so with the weight. After you have tried a few packs, you should pretty much know your measurements so future fittings will go faster. Google some info on how the pack should fit and how most packs adjust. (Main adjustment straps are hip, shoulder and load lifters.)

BTW, you may run across some great forums that are dedicated to ultralite hiking. As tempting as it is to embrace this type of hiking, it's an advanced thing and an exercise in greater and greater compromises to save weight. It's not as easy as it sounds and since you are carrying camera equipment, you are already breaking all those rules anyway. Save weight by getting a great down sleeping bag, upper line ultralite tent and reduce your non-essential gear like that blacksmith anvil you probably want to carry.

Personally, I am using a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL1 tent and a zpacks 20 degree water resistant down sleeping bag. (zpacks also makes a super ultralite tent but it's expensive and takes some getting used to.) Also, Thermarest NeoAir is your absolute best friend! I'll share more info later if you ask but for now, just focus on getting the backpack, decent boots and socks.

Gotta say something (although it does reiterate some what's been posted thus far). Much of your decision for this particular trip depends on the trip specifics. Don't spend hundreds on a pack that won't serve your purpose. I have Arcterx, Osprey and an F-stop Loka. I also have a flimsy lightweight day pack. There are uses for each. Questions to be answered include how quickly you want to access your gear. No matter which pack I am using, my camera is in a Thinktank Holster with my lens of choice for that day. The holster is hung from my pack shoulder straps and not my neck and is secured against my torso with either the backpack hip belt or an independent waist belt (depending on which backpack I am carrying). The camera strap is around my neck but very loosely as a security blanket with no camera weight on that neck strap unless I take the camera out of the hoster and the holster top is partially zipped protecting the camera but allowing the camera strap to come out. If the weather turns bad, I put the camera strap completely in TH TT holster and throw the all-weather cover on it.

For additional camera gear, I've had stuff inside the backpack (maybe use the F-stop ICU but have also just wrapped in socks or clothing) but have also hung a Lowepro lens case off the backpack hip or shoulder strap if I want quick access to a second lens. The goal is always the same: immediate access to my camera in front of me while protecting my stuff from the elements.

Finally, I agree with everyone who says not to skimp on boots (and wear them a lot for many days before going on the trail) and account for water which can get quite heavy and also leak into your camera gear in whatever pack you carry if you don't account for that.

f-stop Satori does have a lot of Molle strapping on it, and some other ways to attach stuff to the outside, but it is true that it doesn't have a bedroll strap setup on the bottom. I have attached the tripod to the pack front midline by threading a pair of home-made stiff plastic loops (two plastic trash bag ties taped together with duct tape) through some loops near the top center of the pack, and then placing two tripod legs in the two stiff plastic loops. Perfect fit. You can mount many lens cases on Molle strapping. You can buy a lot of other gear that is made for putting on Molle strapping, generally from military suppliers. (Molle is the standard attachment system for the US Army, and lots of first responders use it as well).

Ultralight camping gear is not cheap! I will say that the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 is a nice freestanding double-wall solo tent with the single annoyance of an end entry instead of a side entry. So I plop my butt just inside the tent, feet outside, take off shoes, and back into the tent. Fine and dandy, but it gets old if I am popping in and out of the tent through the night managing astro-landscape shots. If weather is good, I don't bother with the fly, I like the unobstructed view. It is a great beginner's tent, 5 minute set-up, probably one of the lightest freestanding tents out there.

f-stop Satori does have a lot of Molle strapping on it, and some other ways to attach stuff to the outside, but it is true that it doesn't have a bedroll strap setup on the bottom. I have attached the tripod to the pack front midline by threading a pair of home-made stiff plastic loops (two plastic trash bag ties taped together with duct tape) through some loops near the top center of the pack, and then placing two tripod legs in the two stiff plastic loops. Perfect fit. You can mount many lens cases on Molle strapping. You can buy a lot of other gear that is made for putting on Molle strapping, generally from military suppliers. (Molle is the standard attachment system for the US Army, and lots of first responders use it as well).

Ultralight camping gear is not cheap! I will say that the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 is a nice freestanding double-wall solo tent with the single annoyance of an end entry instead of a side entry. So I plop my butt just inside the tent, feet outside, take off shoes, and back into the tent. Fine and dandy, but it gets old if I am popping in and out of the tent through the night managing astro-landscape shots. If weather is good, I don't bother with the fly, I like the unobstructed view. It is a great beginner's tent, 5 minute set-up, probably one of the lightest freestanding tents out there.

I have the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL1 for the side entry instead of the Fly Creek end entry. It's about the same weight but without the end entry which I don't like either. Totally kills the ergonomics of the tent for me and makes the vestibule virtually worthless.

I am pretty small, and if needed, everything except for the boots can come inside the tent. But yes, I would have spent a few more bucks and a few more ounces and gotten the Copper Spur UL1, if I had tried out the tent a few times before buying. But it is good enough, not worth changing. I just noticed that LowePro Trekker bags have torso length adjustment. That might help people who are wanting a pack for heavy all-camera-gear loads over short distances.